


Boredom, for lack of a better title

by blackbones



Category: Fate/Apocrypha
Genre: Gen, goofing off, just a student and his teacher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 08:04:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13759788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackbones/pseuds/blackbones
Summary: Achilles is bored and what does a young boy do when he's bored? Pester someone. Specifically his teacher.





	Boredom, for lack of a better title

**Author's Note:**

> I was bored, so I wrote this in an attempt to relieve my boredom.

“Ughhhh teacher, I’m so bored.”

Chiron looked up from his scroll to look at his student. Achilles had flung himself down on the marble floor and was giving his teacher a pathetic look.

“Perhaps you should try reading something.”

“But I don’t want to read. Reading’s boring.”

“Then you must be reading the wrong stories.”

Achilles groaned and tugged his sandals off, half-heartedly tossing one up and catching it again. After a moment, he threw one of said sandals at his teacher, knowing full well it wouldn’t hit. As expected, Chiron caught it easily and tossed it back. Achilles groaned again and pressed his cheek against the floor.

Outside, a warm breeze stirred the lake and the surrounding trees. It occured to Achilles that he could go jump in the lake or skip rocks or something. Then he decided he didn’t want to; today was a day for being lazy and just about anything took too much energy. He turned his attention back to his teacher.

Chiron was resting on a pile of pelts, his legs tucked under him. His elbows leaned against a low-ish table, the scroll he was reading sitting on its surface.

Achilles quietly collected his sandals and slipped around behind his teacher. If Chiron was aware of his student’s attempt to sneak up on him, he didn’t show it.

Leaving his sandals next to a vase, Achilles crept closer to the centaur. Each step was as quiet as he could manage and everytime Chiron flicked his tail, Achilles froze, even when midstep.

Chiron was fully aware of his student’s antics but allowed Achilles to have his way. The child was bored and there was no lesson planned for the day. Might as well allow him to test his own skills and fool around. He was still a child after all.

Now within arm’s reach of his teacher’s rear, Achilles gave a mighty yell and jumped. He landed neatly on Chiron’s haunch and threw his arms around Chiron’s shoulders from behind. The centaur and his student laughed.

“I’ve conquered the mighty centaur Chiron,” Achilles crowed, grinning ear-to-ear.

“Is that so?” Chiron replied. Achilles noticed the mischievous tone just a moment too late.

He barely had time to readjust himself before Chiron charged to his feet. Achilles clung to his teacher’s shirt as hooves clattered across stone, powerful horse muscles rippling under his legs. The sunlight briefly blinded the young student but he quickly adjusted and laughed as Chiron galloped around the lake.

Chiron, sensing how his student had relaxed, abruptly turned off his path and leapt into the lake. The clear water exploded around them and Achilles yelped as he was drenched. Chiron made his way deeper into the lake until the water was high enough to easily lap over his back.

Over his scare now, Achilles started laughing again. Chiron laughed with him. They stood like that for a while, laughing and wet. Achilles leaned his forehead against Chiron’s upper back, still giggling.

“Are you still bored?” Chiron asked.

“Yeah,” Achilles replied, not entirely truthful.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to go fight a hydra then.”

“A hydra!?” Achilles nearly fell off in his surprise. “But I’m not strong enough to fight a hydra!”

Chiron looked over his shoulder at his young student. “Maybe, but isn’t that what heroes do when they’re bored? They fight hydras and basilisks and so on?”

Achilles swallowed sharply. “Don’t get me wrong, teacher, I want to be a great hero, but I’m not as stupid as a lot of people think. I can’t win against a hydra.”

“Even with your invincibility?”

“Yeah, even with that. If you try and take me to a hydra, I’m getting off right now.”

“Alright then. I guess you’ll have to swim back to shore yourself.”

Achilles’ eyes widened. “Wait, I don’t want to swim!”

“But you’re a good swimmer.”

“I know, but I don’t want to swim!”

Chiron laughed and shook his head. “What will I do with you.”

“Uh, you could start by taking me back to shore and not abandoning me out here?”

Chiron snorted. “Alright then. Let’s head back.”

“Finally. You’re such a pain in the a--”

“Watch your language.”

“Everyone else swears! Why can’t I?”

“It’s rude and unbecoming of a hero.”

Achilles groaned. Why was his teacher like this?

As soon as Chiron’s hooves met dry land, Achilles wasted no time sliding down to stand on solid ground again. He didn’t fully trust his teacher to not take off at a gallop without warning again.

They made their way back up to the house and found a sun spot to dry off in. Achilles leaned against his teacher’s side and let out a big sigh. He was asleep within minutes.

Chiron smiled at his student. Achilles showed a lot of promise but he was still so young. The world was too cruel for the pure soul of a child.

‘That’s the purpose of my teachings, I suppose,’ Chiron mused, ‘to ready children like him to face a world intent on tearing them apart.’

Chiron gently brushed the hair out of Achilles’ face. He would treasure that innocent face, like so many other faces before it and no doubt many after, for as long as he lived. It was all he could do, beside prepare his students as best he could for the world ahead of them.

If only he could keep his precious students with him forever, far from harm and safe somewhere they could enjoy their innocence for eternity. If only...


End file.
